Fires
by JLaLa
Summary: "Are you sure you want to do this kid?" A proposal and the unexpected, all in three parts.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! Finally back after a long hiatus of moving, and getting married then moving again and so on…

This is my first try into Hunger Games fanfiction.

All characters do not belong to me.

_When days are dark darling remember__  
><em>_My love for you won't go away__  
><em>_I almost lost you last September__  
><em>_And my heart still has yet to forgive me_

_Is it just me, Am I seeing things?__  
><em>_Or does the way we breathe make perfect sense?__  
><em>_I could start fires with what I feel for you__  
><em>_The sun could fade out and we'd see it through_

_-David Ramirez "Fires"_

Fires (Part One)

By JLaLa

"Are you sure you want to do this kid?" Haymitch says as he sits on the front porch in his rocking chair. I am faintly aware of the creaking against the wood and I put my hands into my pocket as I look him straight in the eye.

"You're a damn fool."

When he sees that I'm not backing down he gets up to shake my hand. "Well good luck because you're going to need it boy." Haymitch laughs to himself and sits back down taking a swig from the bottle that he had next to the chair.

"I don't need luck." I walk towards my home. "I just need Katniss."

0000000

I can pinpoint the moment I knew that I wanted to propose to Katniss. It was just an ordinary evening. I had come home from the Bakery and found her in the kitchen washing dishes. Her hair was in her long braid and I admired the graceful line of her neck. That day she was wearing a green dress and she rocked gently on her bare feet as she washed.

As I walked in, I heard her but just barely. She was singing to herself and I almost didn't make out the lyrics but I recognized it from an old record that Haymitch once played for us.

"_See the pyramids along the Nile__  
><em>_Watch the sun rise__  
><em>_From the tropic isle__  
><em>_Just remember darling__  
><em>_All the while__  
><em>_You belong to me…"_

I knew then that maybe she was content maybe even happy. Years of nightmares and my flashbacks had not damaged us beyond repair. There was still hope that we could still be okay and her soft singing was proof that happiness was within our reach.

I wanted to find her like this every evening for the rest of my life. I wanted to come home to her singing to herself or maybe if she would have it—singing to our children. This was Katniss at her greatest, not as "The Girl on Fire" but simply herself with her trademark braid and sweet voice.

0000000

After talking to Haymitch, I walked into our home. We had long given up on being proper and had settled into a living arrangement that I'm sure Effie Trinket would be highly opposed to. Part of me thinks that's maybe why Katniss agreed to it. The other reason being that together we are safe from the nightmares.

I find myself at our bedroom doorway and my lips curve into a soft smile. Katniss is in deep slumber laying her on her stomach with her bare back exposed. Last night, I asked her to pose for me as I sketched. Needless to say somewhere between the sketching and the kisses, she had found herself nude and I had by then tossed my sketchbook to the floor.

Crinkled pages of paper are souvenirs of the previous evening. I sit by her sleeping form and caress her back as I kiss her neck. She moans quietly and opens one steely eye. "Morning." Her voice is hoarse and I have to grin.

That was my doing.

"How are you feeling?" I ask and she sits up covering herself properly. Her hair is loose and in long waves that fall over a single shoulder. "There is hot chocolate downstairs and cheese buns."

"Are we celebrating something?"

I pick up the crinkled papers and she smiles sheepishly when our eyes meet.

I shake my head. "No, but Effie sent us some hot chocolate and I couldn't resist opening the canister when Haymitch handed it to me." After the papers are salvaged for doodling, I sit back next to her and kiss her soft lips. "You seemed like you were having a good dream."

She laid her back against the headboard. "I was talking to Prim. She was telling me how much she liked our home. She loved the Primroses but she thought that maybe we could add a little more color to the rooms." Her face was glowing and I realized that it had been a long while since she had woken up happy.

"Who knew that Prim was into interior decorating?" I said and took her hand. "It sounded like a lovely dream."

"It was." Her eyes glaze over for a moment. "It was like she had just returned from a long trip."

I kiss the palm of her hand. "I hope she visits more often." Katniss turned to me and her eyes were shining with unshed tears. It seemed like every day we both teetered between happy and sad. "You make me very happy Katniss."

I don't need any words to confirm her returned feelings. She presses her lips to mine and lets the covers from her body fall. Katniss never fails to kindle the fire in me and we find ourselves burning in an all consuming need for one another.

Later when we are sated, we munched on cold cheese buns and sip lukewarm hot chocolate before I set off for work.

0000000000000000

Shaping dough always calms me. It is second nature after all these years. Katniss and I lived by routines when we first returned to District 12. During those moments when grabbing a chair or the nearest counter wasn't enough for me, I found myself escaping into the closest kitchen to bake. The twisted bread resembles Katniss's long braid and I grin to myself.

I would have never thought of proposing to her until now. It has been years since our return but we definitely were not ready during that time. We were broken and angry—empty shells of our former shelves. We clung to one another drowning our sorrows in at first only selfish pleasures but we could only stay like that for so long.

And one evening as we laid in one another's arms by the living room fireplace, I asked her if it was real or not real—her feelings for me.

She said real.

From then on, we let our bridges burn. There were some pains that I knew would never go away—Prim, Rue, my poisoning or the destruction of our families.

It still hurts to come in here sometimes to my newly built Bakery. Sometimes I think I will see my father emerging from the back of the Bakery or one of my brothers at the counter.

As I finish braiding the bread, I take out the paper that Haymitch had handed me before I left to open the Bakery. I wipe my hands before I head up to my office. I still have an hour and a half till opening and I sit down trying to calm my nerves.

The phone in front of me was a new addition. Due to the fame that we gained from the Games, I have had many requests from other Districts to bake and design cakes.

Am I making the right decision doing this? Before I can change my mind, I pick up the receiver and dial the number.

_Man up._

"Hello." The deep voice on the other line suddenly fills me with an uneasy feeling.

After all this time, I am still jealous of Gale Hawthorne.

"Gale," I croak out. "It's Peeta. Peeta Mellark."

An uncomfortable silence follows but he manages to gather his wits before me. "Oh hello. How are you?"

"Good."

More silence. It is obvious that he is not particularly keen on speaking to me. I wouldn't want to speak with the guy who is with the girl you love either.

"How's Katniss?"

"She's better…" Katniss is still angry at him but I don't mention it to him. We have had our own arguments over the "Gale" topic. I do know that she misses her best friend.

"Listen," he starts. "I'm not really sure what you want—"

"—I want to marry Katniss."

More silence. What was now bad has become worse.

"But why are you calling? Katniss and I have nothing to say or do with one another." I hear the pain in his voice.

Gale is a big shot in District 2 but the small woman who is my everything has crushed him and still holds his heart in the palm of her hand.

"I want it to be perfect." I tell him. "There are some things you might know that I don't. I mean you _were _her best friend."

"Yeah, I was," he says quietly more to himself. "Is she happy?"

I think of her face this morning as she talks about Prim. "I think she is getting there. We aren't happy everyday but we are better than we were years ago." I rock in my chair. "I know you haven't spoken to her in awhile. And I know that you still feel something for her but I love her too."

"She never loved me like she loves you," he replied. "She chose you. I chose to leave and you went back for her. In the end, we have to live with our decisions—I have to live with mine."

We are silent for a moment. "Treat this like a hunt."

"A hunt?"

"Katniss is always in her element when she hunts," he informs me. "Treat it like she would when she's about to catch her pray. Quietly, calmly and with full intent for the target."

"I'm not much of a hunter."

"Well learn to be," he says harshly. "I miss her you know."

"We have a phone at the house," I inform him. "She is only a call away."

We both know that he won't call. She wouldn't want him to. There is still a lot of anger, frustration and confusion on her end. Though I know she feels nothing but a brotherly love for him she can't seem to express her feelings about him when I ask.

"What's done is done." I hear him sigh into the phone. "I've been talking to Johanna. She tells me that you've both created a beautiful home with one another. She also said that Katniss is very much in love with you. I won't lie but it hurt when she said it."

"Well, I'm very much in love with her," I tell him.

"Listen Peeta." His voice is thick. "I have to get going—meeting in a few minutes. Remember what I said about the hunt."

"I will."

"Tell Katniss…tell her I think about her and Prim every day."

"Thank you Gale." And I really am grateful. I realize that the jealous pang in me has ebbed.

We hang up and I am suddenly very tired.

00000000

"Peeta, wake up." I look up from the desk to see Katniss peering down at me worriedly. "You have half an hour till the bakery opens."

I spring from my chair. "Oh crap." I rush downstairs to find that the displays are all in place. The kitchen is clean and the bread that I had been arranging was baking in the oven. "You did all this?"

She clasped her hands together and her cheeks darken. "Hopefully I did it right. You know me. The Undomesticated Goddess."

I take her in my arms and kiss her soundly.

"It looks wonderful," I say to her. "You are wonderful."

"Only because I let you sketch me naked," she replies cheekily.

"Well it does help." Our lips meet again and that wonderful fire begins to spread between us. I contemplate not bothering to open and making love to her right on the kitchen floor.

"Damnit, no one needs to see that!" We jump apart and are greeted by Haymitch glaring at us.

Katniss looks at him calmly. "Good morning." She puts a hand on her hip. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just dropping something off to your little boy toy here." He hands me another slip of paper and I nod gratefully before stuffing it into my pocket. He salutes Katniss and grins. "See you around sweetheart."

My face is still burning when she puts her cool hand against my cheek and I lean into it closing my eyes. When I open them, I see her gazing at me. Such pretty grey eyes.

"What was that?" She asks me and her eyes go to my pocket.

"Some people from District Four who are thinking of buying a cake from me," I answer quickly.

For a moment, I can see she wants to call my bluff. Instead she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me softly. "I have a few trades to do but I'll be home by the time you close."

I nod and kiss the tip of her nose. She grins and pulls away to leave.

As she walks away, I admire her figure and suddenly I find myself wolf-whistling. Katniss turns and gives me a saucy wink before leaving.

I love that girl.

* * *

><p>Like it? Please say you do. It's been awhile since I've done this.<p>

The song that Katniss sings is "You Belong to Me". I'm using the Tori Amos version.

There is a better version of Fires by David Ramirez on YouTube. I've been listening to it non-stop.

This was never intended to be a multi-part but it suddenly has become one.

_**NEXT: Katniss's POV. A special appearance from Johanna and we delve into Prim's dream visit a little more.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Hope everyone is enjoying my fic so far.

All characters do not belong to me.

_Looks like you got me where you want me__  
><em>_So go ahead and roll up your web__  
><em>_The best things in life are hard to come by__  
><em>_But sometimes the best things come from accidents…_

_ -David Ramirez "Fires"_

Fires (Part Two)

By JLaLa

Peeta is hiding something.

If I am considered a bad liar than Peeta is worse. When I find him sleeping in his office, a part of me begins to worry. He seems more stressed than I have ever seen him. Business was good and he was getting plenty of work from not only our District but other ones as well so I knew this wasn't a money issue.

When I found him, he looked so peaceful that I couldn't bear to wake him. I look at the picture of his family in front of the original bakery. Peeta is only four or five in the picture but his smile is still the same. I realize how difficult it must be for him to work in the bakery without them.

Beside that photo was a picture of me in my interview dress which I believe was taken by Portia. I look so much younger and unsure. The last picture is of Peeta and Finnick Jr. in the bakery kitchen covered in flour. Little Finn and Annie had come to visit last summer. The two males had hit it off right away and were always out and about. Annie and I laughed when Peeta pretended that the kid had wrestled him to the ground. Needless to say, "Uncle Peeta" was Finn's favorite.

I kissed his forehead and he sighs happily. It is very easy to please Peeta. Sometimes I can't help but feel that I'm not good enough. When this happens, Peeta is always there to reassure me with his kisses.

I find myself smiling more than usual today. I think it something to do with the dream I had of Prim.

She is glowing as I show her around the house. She rushes through the rooms, squeals in delight over the Primroses in the yard and gushes over Peeta's paintings which are hanging in several different spots of the house.

For a moment, it was like she was alive and was visiting me from another District. In my mind, she is coming from Four where my mom lives and she is working in the hospital now.

When we get to the spare room across from the bedroom that Peeta and I share, she turns to me and suggests that I paint it.

"I think a light green would be nice," she says as she surveys the room. "You should have Peeta paint a mural of the meadow."

"Why?" She turns to me and glances down quickly before smiling at me brightly.

"The house could use a little sprucing up. You never know who you'll be expecting."

I was awaken then by the smooth caress of Peeta's hand followed by a kiss on the neck that spread a rather enjoyable heat through my body.

My mind is still running over the details of this morning as I begin the process of setting up. Peeta taught me a few times but I still find myself lacking the skills to run the kitchen.

After waking him, my very passionate thank you was interrupted by Haymitch who only added to the thread of suspicion when he handed Peeta a small slip of paper. I trust Peeta wholeheartedly but I can see the tiny flicker of guilt in his eyes. I let it go for now and give him a wink as I leave.

When I have completed my trades, I find myself admiring the nicely painted buildings including the newly built hardware store. My feet seem to walk me over without a thought and I enter the store which smells of new wood.

"Can I help you ma'am?" The young boy behind the counter greets me.

Before I can even think about it, I ask him where the paint is. "I'm looking for the light green shade."

000000000

I spend the whole day painting. Our home is a simple two story with a pull down stair for the attic. The living room is large with a white fireplace to match the room. Pictures of Prim, my mother as well as Peeta's family are placed on the mantle. Built in bookshelves are on both sides of the fireplace; there are a few art books that are Peeta's and some old History books that he reads through sometimes.

Somehow I ended up with two more gallons of paint, one in light blue and the other in beige.

I paint the living room first pushing and covering the furniture before drenching the walls in beige. I take Peeta's painting that is hanging over the mantle so I can paint over that part. When I am done, I admire how much the paint compliments the ivy green couch that came with the house.

Looking at my work I am feeling more energized and the excitement of something new is pushing adrenaline through my thin body.

I feel like a painting monster had taken over.

I work my way through the rooms upstairs. There are four bedrooms upstairs including Peeta and my bedroom which is the master bedroom with the private bathroom. I work on each room alternating the colors by making one bedroom blue and the other beige while leaving the guest bathroom alone.

By the time, I have completed the room across from ours, the sun is setting. It reflects off the light green paint and I think of how much Prim would have loved to see this. Like Peeta, she enjoyed sunsets.

Enjoyed, not enjoys.

The realization hits me hard and I am sobbing on my knees with the paintbrush at my side. I miss her so much. What I don't understand was the sudden rush of emotion. I can usually keep it together. Why was the sight of pale green walls affecting me so much?

Suddenly Prim's voice is echoing in my head. Light and sweet, almost like a whisper.

"_You never know who you'll be expecting."_

Expecting.

Shit.

I look down at my abdomen and a brief memory of Prim glancing down at my stomach flashes in my head.

We have been so careful…kind of.

I rush downstairs and call the first person I could think of on the phone that Peeta that insists we have.

"Hello."

"Johanna, it's Katniss." Though Johanna is sarcastic and has a penchant for saying completely inappropriate things, Peeta and I have come to see her as a good friend. She is the only person who I could trust to keep this a secret.

"What's wrong? You sound like you're pregnant or something." She also has the best instincts apparently.

"I might be," I exhale and continue. "I didn't know who to call."

"Are you serious?" My silence only confirms it and she chuckles. "I didn't think Peeta had it in him." Johanna breathes into the phone processing what I have said. "I know I spent last summer regaling you and Annie with tales of my salacious affairs but isn't this something you should be talking to a professional about?"

"If I go to anyone here, Peeta will know about this before he even sees me." I cradle the phone. "You know how to be discreet. Please help me."

"This is just sad Katniss. How far along are you?"

"I'm not sure," I inform her and try to think of when was the last time I had my cycle. "Those pills that the Capitol sent are supposed to have prevented this from happening."

"Well are there any moments that might have caused this to happen?"

I run through the list in my mind automatically. "There was the time on the back porch, or the time on the kitchen island or at the bakery-"

"Stop," she commands through the phone. "Remind me to never eat at your home again. You two are gross."

My mind is a jumbled and images of Prim and Rue enter my mind. This was not supposed to happen. I never wanted to be a mother. Peeta and I argued over this subject the first two years of our relationship. Over the last few years, occasional begging on his part had landed him on our living room couch for a few nights. I can't be a mother.

I can't love anyone like that. Not like her.

"Katniss, listen to me," Johanna says sharply. Somehow through the phone, she could sense me drifting. "Stop acting like a headcase. Tomorrow, a test will be in your mailbox. Take it and call me. Promise?"

"I will."

"You've been with Peeta for what—ten years now?" she reasons. "Would it be so horrible to have his child? You've built a home and a life with him. What are you so afraid of?"

I look up at the picture of Prim on our mantle. I haven't taken care of anyone that small since her. When Finn Jr. was here, I barely played with him.

But Peeta would be a great dad.

"I don't know what I'm afraid of and it wouldn't be a horrible thing," I admit quietly. "I will call you tomorrow Jo."

When I hang up the phone, I go to the couch and lay down. Pulling my shirt up so my abdomen is exposed, I feel the smooth skin that might be stretched eventually with a child and put my hand to it.

"Are you in there? Were you the reason Prim wanted to fix the place up?" I take a deep breath in. It's silly to be talking to my stomach but I continue. "I am afraid to love you. So maybe if you come than I won't love you and I'll take off. The world is a scary place. People you love are taken from you all the time. I barely made it when Peeta was hijacked."

I hear the door click and pull my shirt back down. I stand up as he enters the room. His eyes widen. "Hey. You painted."

I walk over to him and put my arm around his waist. "I thought the place could use some color."

"You aren't the kind of person to do something impulsive like this." He is looking around for a moment. "It looks good."

"I painted the other rooms too." I lead him upstairs and through each room. The last room I show him is the green room across from ours.

I switch on the light and Peeta walks to the center of the room. "This was Rye's favorite color." Rye, the older brother who never made it out of the bakery that fateful day.

We stand there for several minutes in silence and when I reach for him he suddenly whips my hand away.

Oh no.

Not now.

Peeta's fists are clenched. His eyes are glazed, blank and his jaw is tight. I instinctively take his face in my hands. I know there is a chance that he might attack but I can defend myself. "Peeta. Baby. Look at me."

I see his struggle. Beads of sweat are forming on his forehead. He is shaking as I caress his cheeks. "I'm here. I'm here Peeta. We're okay. Come back to me." The shaking gets worse and I pull him close singing softly in his ear.

"_See the market place__  
><em>_In old Algiers__  
><em>_Send me photographs and souvenirs__  
><em>_Just remember__  
><em>_When a dream appears__  
><em>_You belong to me…"_

When I am done, I realize that Peeta is weeping on my shoulder. I rub his back and kiss the side of his head. He is drenched.

"I'm so sick of this," he sobs into my neck. I lead him into our room and have him sit on our bed so I can remove his shirt. Walking over to our bathroom, I grab a towel and wet it. Wringing it, I grab another towel and go to him. He has his head in his hands. I take the wet towel and run it across his back.

I admire the muscle lines as I clean the sweat off. After I dry him off I put a clean shirt on him. "Lay down." He obeys but his face is still pale and my insides clench at the anguish on his handsome face.

I take his pants off so that he is only in his boxes, careful to not bother his prosthetic leg. He is silent still as I cover him with a thin sheet. I remove my own clothes and then join him in bed.

We don't speak as we lay on our sides looking at one another. After a moment, I take his hand and he sighs. "Why are you still here?" His eyes are bright with unshed tears. "I could have _killed_ you."

"But you wouldn't." I push the hair from his face. "I will never let that happen."

"You can't control me," he replies harshly. "I can barely control myself."

The room is dark except for the light from outside which is streaming through the blinds. "I will always take care of you. No matter what happens, wherever you go inside your mind, I will find you."

Only in our room do I ever tell him these things. There are no secrets here.

I put a hand on my stomach without thinking about it.

Well maybe one secret.

"I love you Katniss." His eyes are bright.

"I know," I reply softly. "It's me and you—always." He pulls me close so I can lay my head on his chest.

I'm not going anywhere. In his arms, I'm home.

That night I decide that I want to have a baby.

0000000

The pounding on the door woke me up. I turn to see that Peeta is sleeping peacefully. Scrambling I throw on a button up shirt and head downstairs to the front door. When I open it, I find Haymitch holding a small plain wrapped box and grinning at me.

It is my test from Johanna. She must have messed up the address. I wouldn't be surprised if it was intentional though.

"Well, well," he said handing me the box. "Is my little Katniss up the duff?"

"Don't be crude Haymitch," I tell him. "And keep your voice down. Peeta is still asleep."

"Let me guess." He leans on the doorway. "He doesn't know."

"I don't even know," I emphasize. "And if I am, I rather he not hear it from a drunken fool."

"I love you too Sweetheart." He looks at me for a moment and puts a hand on my shoulder. "But seriously, I'm real proud of you."

"You're proud of me for not being careful?"

"I'm proud of you because you're not living in fear anymore," he replied. "And you finally stop thinking just about yourself."

I had to ask. "How did you know that this was a test?"

"When I was in school, I knew several girls who had these plainly wrapped boxes delivered to them."

"Was it because of you?"

"Damned if I know."

"I have to go now," I said.

"I thought we were having a good time," he replied.

"No really, I have to GO." I am moving from side to side, bladder ready to explode.

"Good luck darlin." Haymitch walked down the porch and screamed at the geese littering his yard.

Exactly five minutes later, I sit on the floor of our bathroom holding the test in my hand. Getting up, I toss the test in the trash being careful to hide it from Peeta and then washed my hands.

I have a phone call to make to a sarcastic soon-to-be Aunt.

I hope that Haymitch learns how to change a diaper.

* * *

><p>So Johanna only made a phone appearance but she did appear.<p>

You might not get the last update for a few days as I will be in a Hunger Games Euphoria. Hope everyone enjoys the movie!

"You Belong to Me" is sung by Tori Amos.

Let me know what you think of it!


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to all of you who put me on story alert or reviewed. I appreciate it and I'm actually going to starting a new Hunger Games fic after this. It will definitely be darker than this one though.

Please review if you can or put me on author alert.

I love Haymitch/Katniss interaction. I always felt like he did favor her a little more than Peeta. We have a little look into their weird relationship.

I just watched the midnight show of Hunger Games and it was awesome. It actually helped me in creating this chapter.

Hunger Games does not belong to me.

_You have a beauty like no other__  
><em>_A confidence that brings me fear__  
><em>_If I compare myself too long I might just run away__  
><em>_But you have a grace that keeps me here_

_ -David Ramirez ("Fires")_

Fires (Part Three)

By JLaLa

I am staring at the light green wall in the guest bedroom when she whistles at me.

The Mockingjay whistle. The one that she and Katniss used before she was taken so suddenly.

I turn to see Rue sitting on a red and white checkered blanket in the middle of the room. She smiled at me and my heart hurt seeing the sweet little girl.

"Hello Peeta," she greeted me. "Sit."

"Where are we?" I sit down next to her.

"Neither here nor there. It doesn't matter." We both look at the blank wall. "It needs something. Prim tells me that she and Katniss use to go to this wonderful meadow. There were flowers everywhere in the Spring."

"Can you tell me more about?" I ask.

"I can." Prim is suddenly sitting by me and she smiles softly. She is wearing the same dress from the day of the Reaping. "It is nice to see you again Peeta."

"Katniss just dreamt about you," I told her and she knowingly nodded.

Prim tells me about the meadow close to their old home. She would take her goat, Lady so she could eat and Katniss would sit making daisy chains. Sometimes Katniss would pick dandelions and just stare at them. "I knew that she would be thinking about you during those moments. About that day. You saved us."

"No, she saved me," I reply. She smiles understandingly.

The vision changes and I am lying on the blanket by Rue. We are staring at the ceiling as she hums to herself and quietly she begins to sing.

"_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet-_

_-and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you_…"

"Can you thank Katniss for me?" We are both still looking up. "For the flowers that she put on me and for the song?"

"Of course." I take her hand and am surprised by how solid her grip is. "It turned out really nice."

"What?" I ask and Rue stands up pulling me along.

"That." She points at the wall. I look to see the most beautiful mural. It is of the meadow that Prim described to me. Lady, her goat is even in the background. Dandelions are scattered about the field. Everything is green and lush. Spring seems eternal in the room. "It's beautiful."

"Here is the place where I love you," I say to myself. "It makes sense now."

"I have to go Peeta." Her eyes are sad and I kneel to pull her into an embrace. "I'm glad that Katniss has you." She seems light now unlike earlier when her hand felt heavy and solid. "By the way, your father and brothers want you to know that they are very proud of you. You were always a victor to them."

My eyes are wet and we embrace as she pats my head softly. "Will I ever see you again?"

"In some form," she replies.

When we pull apart, it is not Rue anymore. Instead there stands a little girl about four or five with long brown hair tied in a single braid and blue eyes similar to mine. She gives me a familiar smile and presses her three fingers to her lips before raising them to the air.

"Peeta."

My eyes open.

Katniss is sitting next to me and running her hands through my hair. "You seem like you were having a nice dream."

"It was," I tell her as I sit up. "Rue. She was here and she wanted to thank you for the flowers. She sang the same song that you sang to her before she died." Katniss looks at me in concern and I realize that my eyes are watering. "She said my family was proud of me."

She smiles softly. "I'm sure they are."

"The dream was nice," I tell her. "But my reality with you is better."

Before our lips meet, I suddenly realize that the little girl in my dream has a smile very much like Katniss's.

0000000

After she has pulled away from me, her stomach suddenly growls. She laughs quietly. "Sorry, I must be hungry."

"Let's get you fed then." I get up when I notice that Katniss is pale. "You okay?"

She wraps her arms around my neck and we touch foreheads as she closes her eyes. "I'm fine just a little dizzy. It was a tough night." I nod and kiss her neck before releasing her.

We walk downstairs hand in hand and into the kitchen. Katniss blushes as I walk over to the kitchen island. "What?"

"Memories."

I lean against the counter and try to recall what memory she is thinking of. A sudden picture of her laying on the island, her hair loose and spread against the counter. "Still so pure after all this time." I grin at her.

After I have warmed up some honey walnut bread and hot chocolate for Katniss, I bring it to her at the small round table that she is sitting at. She is ravenous and eats it all in what seems like one gulp.

"I skipped dinner," she said quickly. "What are you planning to do today?"

The picture of the meadow lingers in my mind.

"I think I'm going to paint a mural in the upstairs room."

000000

I am walking back to Victors Village. I don't know what it was. The smell of the woods or the nearby flowers but I am struck with a strong spell of nausea. It's funny to think that this striking me now that I officially know what is happening. I contemplate just throwing up right there but I can't risk Peeta looking out the window and seeing me.

Instead I am galloping to Haymitch's porch and pounding on the door as if my life depended on it. No response is heard so I rush to the one of the windows and knock. He is not in sight; the living room is trashed though. Panic turns into desperation and I do the one thing I could think of.

I kick the front door down.

"What the hell!" Haymitch is at the stairs adjacent to the now non-existent door.

I'm not even thinking when I rush to the kitchen and vomit into the sink.

It seems to go on and on—the vomiting. "Oh crap." I hear Haymitch in the background mumbling and I want to respond by informing him about a little word called karma. I've clean up many of his drunken messes. I am unable to because I am letting out whatever I ate for the last month into his sink.

"Motherhood suits you well sweetheart."

I am leaning my head on the cool tiles when I turn to glare at him. He is nice enough to run the sink to wash away the mess. Then he hands me a glass of water and surprisingly some crackers. I sit at the table and stuff one into my mouth. "Should it call you Grandpa or Uncle?"

"Haymitch will do just fine." He sits down at the table next to me. "Have you told Peeta?"

I shake my head. "I am barely grasping this myself. I told Johanna too. She sends her best and says she will come see me when I start looking more like a whale." He takes the pitcher on the table and refills my glass. I look at him curiously. "How do you know about the crackers and water?"

"I had a little sister once too," he informed me not quite meeting my eyes. "I was ten when my mom informed me that I would be expecting a sibling. By then, my pop had up and left for another District. I was left to tend to my very emotional mother. In the end, Maisie seem to be the only good thing that came out of my family but then she was taken from me too."

I never really thought about Haymitch's past and I understand his kinship to me. He knew what it was like to have to protect someone. "Thank you. Sorry about your door."

"I'll just tell Peeta that you found me passed out in the living room so you kicked the door down."

"Where were you anyway?"

My eyes followed him out of the kitchen. He returned carrying something wooden and medium sized. After placing it on the kitchen table, I stood up to examine it.

"What is it?"

His eyes narrowed. "What the hell do you think it is? It's a cradle. If you cry, I swear I will throw this thing into the fireplace."

"It looks like you made it," I reply trying to keep these damn hormones in check. The cradle was simple but had wooden carvings of flowers along the sides. It had a deep colored finishing.

"I did." He pushed it gently so it would rock. "When I was younger and before Maisie was born. She would sleep so peacefully. It was just sitting in the attic. I figured I would fix it up so you wouldn't end up keeping your baby in a drawer or something."

"It's really beautiful." I ran my hand against the smooth wood. "Is this what you were doing upstairs?"

"Among other things," he said. "Cleaned up and such. Threw away all the old liquor bottles laying about. Figured that I should at least try to stay just tipsy while you're in this state. Peeta might lose it when you go into labor. Then where would we be?"

"Well thank you Uncle Haymitch." I smile softly at him.

He opens a cabinet and takes a bottle out. Twisting the cap off, he takes a quick swig. "You're not in labor yet."

As he walks out of the room, I hear him mumble: "And that's Grandpa Haymitch to you."

000000

I had finished the outlining of the mural when I decided that it was time to make the next call. Walking downstairs, I went to the phone, dialed the number and waited.

"Hello." Her voice sounded similar to Prim's in my dream. Light and sweet.

"Mrs. Everdeen? It's Peeta."

She paused before recovering quickly. "Peeta, how are you? Is Katniss alright?"

Katniss spoke to her mom on three occasions: her birthday, her mother's birthday and Prim's birthday. They usually stuck to mundane subjects and I can tell that after a few moments on the phone, Katniss is ready to give up. Years of neglect due to depression left Katniss resentful of her mother.

When she returned after we had won, she was surprised to find that her sister was well taken care of. Her mother had kept her end of the bargain when she promised to take care of Prim. Prim and Mrs. Everdeen's relationship was obviously better than the one that Katniss shared with her mother. In a way, this was the one thing between Prim and Katniss that could be considered sibling rivalry.

"She's fine," I reply. "I know this is usually something you ask the father but I wanted permission from you—to propose to Katniss."

"I figured." She sighed. "Gale told me when he stopped by a few days ago." She was silent for a moment. "What my daughter does now is really up to her. She's never asked for advice or comfort from me. You're practically asking a stranger."

"Mrs. Everdeen," I begin. "Like your daughter, you have no idea how much of an effect you can have on people. It matters to her, more than she'd like to say."

"I love her Peeta." I can hear sniffing on the phone. "But there is nothing I can do for her now. I've messed up. I hope you make her so happy and try to keep in touch."

"Don't hang up...please," I plead and try to relieve the tension. "How did propose?"

"What?"

"I need help." I hear her laugh softly through her tears. "There is no one that Katniss adores more than her father."

"That's true," she said thoughtfully. "Her father proposed to me in the back of the school building. It was right after we all graduated and of course, like you already know I was with your father. I was going to tell Katniss's father that we couldn't continue our relationship and that I was expecting a proposal from your dad."

I could hear her voice change just ever so slightly and she sounded as sweet and innocent as Prim did. "He asked me to dance before I even got into a word in and as we danced he sang quietly into my ear." She took a breath. "He asked me to marry him right after he was done with the song."

"That's all it took?"

"You of all people should know how the Everdeen voice can affect people," she said and I can almost see her smiling. "He told me later that he had planned to do it another way. But the moment was natural, unplanned, and dancing with me was what he wanted to do every day of our lives."

"So did he dance with you every day?" I was grinning into the phone.

"Every day," she replied. "Until the day, he danced out of my life and I never danced again."

I could see how Katniss could have some reservations on marriage. Her parents had an idyllic marriage, full of passion. However, she saw what could happen if it was taken away from you. It was different with my parents. Their relationship was awkward and my mother was harsh with my kind hearted father. It was like she was punishing him for being his second choice.

"Thank you for telling me this," I say. "I understand her a little more now."

"I know that this isn't a tradition in District 12 but I saw something that reminded me of Katniss. I want to send it to you. When you propose, I want you to give it to her."

"Of course." After a moment, I tell her that I am expecting Katniss home and should probably get off the phone. "I really appreciate you talking to me, Mrs. Everdeen."

"You're welcome." I can hear the warmth in her voice.

I am about to hang up when—"Peeta?"

"Yes?"

"If you want you can call me Mom."

I grin. "Take care of yourself Mom. Thank you for giving me Katniss."

A few days later, I receive a small box from my mom. Inside is a small gold ring with a red jewel in the middle.

It was elegant and quietly beautiful like Katniss.

As I hold it to the sunlight I see that it has a bit of an orange tinge like a sunset. The hidden flame made it even more special.

It is perfect for "The Girl on Fire".

000000

One day I come home and found her at the sink again. This time her hair was down and the waves shone against the light of the kitchen. On the stove was a covered pot most likely a stew from one of her kills.

She is singing again and I lean against the doorway to listen not wanting to ruin the moment.

"_Is it just me, Am I seeing things?  
>Or does the way we breathe make perfect sense?<br>I could start fires with what I feel for you  
>The sun could fade out and we'd see it through…"<em>

When she sees me, Katniss wordlessly walks over to me and takes my hand. There was something different about her, she looks lit up. I have noticed it for weeks now. However I am busy running the bakery and coming home to paint the mural.

I dream of Prim over these few weeks. Prim seems especially eager for me to get it finished.

"Why the rush?" I ask her. She is wearing a dress that Katniss had bought for her when we first came back from the Hunger Games.

"It will help her."

"Help her what?"

"Help her realize that it's okay," she replied with her hands on her hips.

"Peeta?" I look up to see Katniss placing a bowl of stew in front of me. I shake the conversation out of my head and dig in.

Katniss sits across from me and is eating at a quicker pace than usual. When we catch eyes, she laughs embarrassed. "I missed lunch. I was helping Haymitch clean up his living room."

"Well you did break down his door." I was surprised to look out the window a few weeks ago to see Katniss leaving through a non-existent doorway. Haymitch was waving and laughing. He took a swig from a bottle that he held before he went back in.

We both laughed and I couldn't help but admire how beautiful she looked. It was so rare that she laughed. This time she was shining.

Then Mrs. Everdeen's voice is echoing in my head.

"_But the moment was natural, unplanned, and dancing with me was what he wanted to do every day of our lives."_

This is what I wanted to do with Katniss for the rest of my life. I wanted to find her singing to herself. I wanted to eat dinner with her in the evening and talk about our days. Most of all, I wanted to make her laugh so that her face lit up like that every day.

"Do you want some bread?" She was getting up and grabbing a warm loaf that was on the counter. She brought it to the table on the board so that she could slice it.

I nodded and she handed me a slice. Our hands brushed and my mind wanders to a memory of a starving girl outside a bakery.

She says I saved her life.

In actuality, she saved mine.

When she sat back down, I looked up at her. Pretty grey eyes meet mine.

_"Treat it like she would when she's about to catch her pray. Quietly, calmly and with full intent for the target."_

So that's what I do.

I pull the box from my pocket and put it on the table. Our eyes never leave one another as I push the box towards her. I think she is senses what is happening. Only when she picks it up slowly and opens the box do I look down.

It is silent and for a moment I think she has left the room.

"Your bowl is empty."

She reaches over to take my bowl and there it is.

The ring is on her finger and glistening in the soft light of the room.

I look up and her smile matches my own.

She refills my bowl and hands it back to me.

"Nice ring," I say to her.

"Thanks," she replies. "My husband gave it to me."

"Come here," I tell her and she complies as I pull her onto my lap.

We celebrate quite thoroughly that evening.

000000

That next night, she tells me that she is going to call her mom. I can her giggling from upstairs when she tells her mom that we're engaged.

When I come downstairs, she is cradling the phone and whispering into it. Tears are running down her face but she is giggling at something her mom said.

"I have to go now mom. Peeta has just finished the guest room. Okay, we will see you at the Toasting." She pauses for a moment. "I love you too." She hangs up and after wiping her eyes she turns to me. "I don't know what's with the tears."

I take her hand. "And the giggling. What exactly were you two talking about?"

She just grins as we walk up the stairs.

When we enter the room, she walks to the middle before looking at the mural. It is exactly like my dream. "How did you know?" Katniss is looking at me with shocked on her face. "For weeks I have dreams about this room. The dandelions, Lady, and Prim."

The last thing I added was Prim next to her goat. She is not facing front in the mural but is looking towards somewhere far away, her two braids look as if they are swaying in the breeze.

After that she stopped visiting.

I miss her.

"I got some help from some old friends on designing the mural. Now we just need to furnish it," I tell her.

"I have just the thing." She leaves and comes back carrying something. Placing it down, she comes back to my side. "Haymitch made it."

"What is it?"

"A cradle."

Why would we need that? Unless—"Wait. You said cradle."

"I did." She is laughing at me.

"That would mean." I look down and notice that there is a bump where her abdomen was.

It suddenly dawns on me and I recall the conversation I had with Prim.

"_It will help her."_

"_Help her what?"_

"_Help her realize that it's okay."_

"We're having a baby," I say slowly. "How did I not notice?"

"I found ways to keep you from noticing."

I think of yesterday's "celebration".

Walking over to her, I take her face in my hands and kiss her. I get to do this for the rest of my life. We won't be perfect or happy everyday but we always have each other when those times come.

We will also have her.

Kneeling down I caress the bump. "See you soon, Rue," I whisper into her abdomen.

I swear I feel a flutter.

* * *

><p>So ends this three parter that was never meant to be one. Thank you for all the alerts and reviews. It's funny how these things turn out completely different from what you thought it would be.<p>

Hate it? I hope not. Love it? Let me know.

Expect my new story in a day or two.


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